You've seen them, maybe just this past weekend when you were grocery shopping. They stood there in a cloud of giggles, and perhaps they called out in your direction as you passed by.
"Girl Scout cookies! Come get your Girl Scout cookies!"
Maybe some of the girls were outgoing and conversational, while others might have been quieter and slightly nervous. Sales isn't an easy job for an adult, so it's only natural that some girls may be less than entirely comfortable asking strangers to buy a product.
Yet, there they stood, sashes and vests on over puffy jackets, raincoats, or lightweight shirts, depending on the luck of their weather draw. You may not have realized it, but they stood there for two hours or more. They stood there yesterday, and they'll be back next weekend, after setting up their booth in another location for a few hours in between.
Before they set up that table, they practiced together at troop meetings and on their own in their bedrooms. They spent collective hours walking through their neighborhoods, knocking on doors and delivering their sales pitches, gaining more confidence with each round.
I don't know what you did when you saw them or what you said in response to their greetings. Maybe you recognized the sight immediately and went over to buy some cookies. Perhaps you didn't have cash and their troop didn't accept credit cards (because it's a bit of a pain for the leaders!), so you passed on by. Maybe you said, "No thanks," or "Next time!", or maybe you were silent.
I'm not here to push you to buy cookies, though if you wanted to, I do know a certain Girl Scout who could hook you up, even with delivery to those who live far away. But, that's not the point I've been thinking about since our troop's first cookie booth yesterday. What's on my mind centers around what you may or may not have said to those eager girls standing outside for hours of their free time, between piano lessons and gymnastics classes, basketball practices and homework.
Take a moment to think if you did talk to them. Did you ask about the cookies they were selling? Maybe you needed cost info or a recommendation, which I'm sure they were happy to offer. Did you ask about anything else?
Did you notice those sashes or vests they were wearing? Did you see the colorful patches and pins, the various insignia that may or may not be familiar to you? Did you ask anything about it all?
You see, those patches on the back represent experiences that range from hiking to archery, sleepovers to community service projects, and everything in between. We call those "fun patches" because they're given to represent an experience the girls participated in as a troop. Often, you'll see girls with a back full of them, and the Girl Scouts I've known remembered what each and every one was for.
On the front, you're looking at achievements, and that means that for each pin and badge, that Girl Scout completed a series of required steps that regularly include research, active exploration, creation of items, and presenting their findings and work to their troop members. The badge and pin topics vary from super fun to super serious, helping girls to develop new skills and broaden their horizons. The bigger badges you see grouped together represent what's called a Journey, which is a longer series of activities and experiences that get Girl Scouts thinking about giving back to their communities.
And if you see a special star-shaped pin in either bronze, silver, or gold, then you are looking at a Girl Scout who has achieved the highest award they can in their level. These require girls to work on long-term community service projects, especially keeping in mind sustainability. At the bronze level, they work together with other scouts in their troop, while up at the gold level, they must plan and coordinate the project independently. These achievements are no joke, and they are highly respected by those in the know of Girl Scouting.
Girls who participate in Girl Scouts choose to be leaders, to be explorers, to be good citizens, and to be sisters to each other. The Girl Scout law, that they could recite for you upon request, outlines personal conduct that is respectful of self and others, and to the communities and world in which we live.
So, yes, Girl Scouts are happy to sell you cookies, and I'm sure if you see one this week standing outside a storefront, they'd love to chat with you about their favorites. But please remember, there is so much about being a Girl Scout that goes beyond the cookie. The evidence is all over their vest or sash. Go ahead, ask them about their achievements. You'll be impressed, as you absolutely should be.
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